HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

Morning light streamed into the room through the stained glass of the lead-lined windows, illuminating the tiny dust particles floating in the air.

Snape stared at his bluish-white eye sockets in the mirror, somewhat exasperated.

Taking a deep breath and composing himself, Snape opened the door.

Good morning, Sievert.

West leaned against the wall by the door, his red curly hair trembling in the morning light as he smiled, conveying his good mood.

Snape: "...Good morning."

The young man handed over a ring inlaid with a turquoise gemstone. "Here, the notes are all in."

Snape hesitated for a moment, then took the ring. He ran his fingers over the enchanted runes on the inside. "An alchemical ring?" He looked coldly at West, "...I'll give it back to you after you've looked at it."

"What do you mean, 'don't give it back'? What's mine is yours." West blinked, earning a glare from Snape.

He led Snape to the dining room. "I made breakfast, would you like to try it?"

Snape sat down, looking at the muffins drizzled with maple syrup in front of him with a complicated expression. "I never knew you had a talent for raising elves."

West sat down beside him nonchalantly. "If you like, I'll make it for you every day. Back in the Dursleys' house, it was always Harry and me making breakfast."

"All the time?" Snape frowned.

"Hmm, starting when I was five. But most of the time I did it," West chuckled, gesturing with his hand, "Harry was only this tall back then, he needed a stool to fry eggs."

"...If you haven't forgotten that you're the same age as him." Snape looked somewhat annoyed. He and Dumbledore never expected the Dursleys to be so harsh on the Potter brothers.

"Dumbledore actually let two trolls stand in front of the Muggle cauldron of boiling oil..." He suddenly fell silent, realizing his lapse in composure.

"Severus, do you feel sorry for me?"

The young man's handsome face loomed close, and Snape jerked backward, the chair legs scraping the floor with a sharp screech.

Snape, enraged, yelled, "What are you doing! Sit back down!"

West sat obediently and poured Snape a glass of pumpkin juice. He suppressed a laugh, afraid that if he laughed, Snape would get angry again.

"Eat up, Severus, then we'll go to Potter Manor."

After finishing his breakfast, Snape politely wiped his mouth clean. "Let's go."

West glanced at the spotless plate in front of Snape, a smile playing on his lips. "Alright."

They arrived at Potter Manor through the fireplace in the main hall of Somerset Manor.

At Potter Manor, Harry and Sirius were lounging on the sofa in the hall, chatting idly. They both had dark circles under their eyes, looking like they hadn't slept well all night.

Emerald flames burst open in the fireplace.

As Snape stepped out of the flames, West caught his elbow.

"Watch out, Severus."

The young man's gentle voice came from the fireplace, and Harry and Sirius jumped up excitedly.

"West, you're finally back... um, Professor Snape."

Harry was halfway through his call when he noticed Snape standing next to West, looking grim.

West's hand was ruthlessly slapped away by Snape. "Should I award you the Best Nurse Award, Potter?"

Snape flicked his sleeves, his face ashen.

If West hadn't blocked the fireplace, he wouldn't have been so startled when he came out that he almost fell over!

"My fault, my fault," West whispered, giving Snape's dusty robe a fresh wash.

Sirius's eyes widened, and before he could finish the word "nose," West turned his head sharply, his eerie green eyes landing on him.

Sirius found himself with his throat locked.

The staffless, silent throat-locking spell.

Sirius screamed inwardly, not understanding how West could be with Snape, and even acting so obsequiously while Snape gave him attitude.

"Shut up," West warned coldly.

Harry tugged at Sirius's sleeve, signaling him to shut up.

He could tell that West had no affection for Sirius, but he didn't want his godfather to die under West's staff!

Merlin! Save him! What a mess this is! Harry screamed in his mind.

Snape's disgusted gaze fell on Sirius, whose face had turned ashen. "Well, you foolish Potters, letting an escaped convict roam freely in your house..."

His gaze swept over Sirius and Harry, past the portraits hanging in the hall, "Fugitive, fool, megalomaniac," finally settling on West, "and a paranoid."

Snake-like ribbons burst forth from the end of Snape's wand and automatically wrapped around Sirius's wrists and ankles. Sirius lost his balance and fell to the ground, unable to move.

Sirius glared at Snape, letting out a muffled growl.

Harry noticed that West's gaze was fixed on Sirius's eyes, looking menacing.

He suddenly stepped in front of Sirius, whispering, "Don't move if you don't want to die!"

Sirius was stunned.

"Alright, let's calm down, Professor Snape..." Harry pleaded.

The year West left, Harry actually got along quite well with Snape—although Snape was still ruthless in deducting points from Gryffindor.

But when Harry was falsely accused of using a petrifying charm on Mrs. Norris, it was Snape who stood up for him.

Harry saw all of this, and he knew that what West said was true—Professor Snape had been protecting him in secret, and Harry had always admired Professor Snape.

Snape put away his wand. He just didn't like Sirius, but he didn't really intend to kill him.

He turned to look at West, who stood calmly to the side, feeling somewhat annoyed.

Even if he wanted to kill Black, wouldn't West stop him? He saw it all clearly; West even used a chokehold before Black could say anything offensive to him.

"Severus, don't stand, sit down first," West said to Snape after glancing at Harry.

Snape snorted and sat down, with West sitting down next to him.

"Today, we'd like to discuss how to capture Peter Pettigrew," West said succinctly.

Upon hearing this, Sirius stopped struggling and stared longingly at West.

"Isn't that simple?" Harry said. "He doesn't even know he's been exposed. When I meet Ron, I'll just ask him for it."

He paused for a moment, then said, "We can use the excuse of examining him; Ron often complains about his rats shedding fur."

"Good idea, Harry, simple and feasible. What do you think, Severus?" West said with a smile.

Snape nodded. "Okay, just in case, I'll have to keep watch nearby."

"No need, you get some rest. I'll go shopping with Harry in Diagon Alley later," West said gently.

Snape stiffened and awkwardly replied, "...Whatever."

West's strength is indeed not to be underestimated. Snape has seen him use wandless magic and silent spells several times. It seems that the effects of the Dark Curse are much more complicated than he thought.

Sirius's eyes widened, his surprised gaze shifting back and forth between West and Snape...

For no other reason than that West's attitude is exactly the same as James's when he was pursuing Lily!

Sirius grew increasingly alarmed, his mind a complete mess.

"Severus, are you tired? Do you want to go back to your room to rest?" West asked. "There's a room for you here too."

"...Can you speak normally?" Snape rubbed his temples. "If you remember we just woke up?"

"You don't look like you slept well. You should go back and catch up on some sleep," West said. "Or maybe go back and look at your notes?"

That struck a chord with Snape. "Okay."

Wester led Snape upstairs, clinging to him and saying pitifully, "How could Severus say I have delusions..."

Warm breath brushed against the Potions Professor's pale neck. "I don't think this is wishful thinking, Severus..."

Snape nearly tripped, his ears instantly swelling with blood. He gritted his teeth and roared, "West, get out of here!"

His black robe billowed as he strode away.

"Hey, Severus, wait for me..."

Harry watched the two leave the hall without giving Sirius a single glance, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He took out his wand to break the spell on Sirius, saying, "Merlin, Sirius, you'd better not mess with Professor Snape, or you won't even know how you died."

Harry didn't hold back in his comment, "Don't drag me down! West's eyes scared me to death!"

He had always been aware of West's obsessive possessiveness toward Professor Snape—with Merlin above them, it wouldn't be surprising if they suddenly got married one day.

Sirius looked dazed. "What's the relationship between West and...Snape?"

Harry, with a meaningful look, decided to give Professor Syrus Snape a respectable position, "a relationship you can't afford to offend."

Sirius was struck dumb.